BACKGROUND Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a neonatal condition that mainly occurs when the abdominal organs herniate into the thorax, obstructing the development of the lungs. Postoperative neonatal breathing disorder is one of the main causes of neonatal death. This study summarizes the postoperative nursing status of 30 cases of neonatal CDH in our hospital, and explores the effect of body position in mechanical ventilation care following CDH surgery. METHODS A total of 30 CHD children admitted in our hospital between June, 2018 and October, 2019 were included. The neonates were divided into preterm infant group (n=15) and full-term infant group (n=15). Each child was immediately transferred to the newborn intensive care unit (NICU) ward after surgery and received the hospital's NCIU special care. Besides routine nursing, each child was placed in a randomly selected primary position (the prone position or supine position). After 30 min, their oxygenation indexes were measured, and then their position (prone position or supine position) was changed. After 30 min, the neonates' oxygenation indicators were measured again. A hospital-made satisfaction questionnaire was used to evaluate the parents' satisfaction with nursing care. RESULTS Two children died of respiratory failure (one in the preterm group and one in the full-term group), and the rest were in a stable condition after surgery. There was no significant difference between the rates of parent satisfaction in the two groups (preterm infant group: 96.67% verse full-term group: 93.33%, P>0.05). In both groups, the partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (PaO2), partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood/fraction of inspiration O2 (PaO2/FiO2), and partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood/partial pressure of oxygen in the alveolar gas (PaO2/PAO2) in prone position were significantly higher than those in supine position (P<0.05); the alveolar-arterial oxygen difference (A-aDO2) was significantly lower than that in the supine position (0.05). CONCLUSIONS The prone position can improve the oxygenation index of children after surgery, and improve their respiratory system function. This method is suitable for newborn postoperative NICU care.